1950s Belgian Oak Trestle Dining Table

Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.

Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.

Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.

The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.

Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

No matter your furniture style of choice, a shared meal is one of life’s true rewards. Why not treat your family and friends to a luxurious dining experience? Browse our top picks to find the perfect antique, new or vintage dining room table for this important occasion.

Modern furniture design borrows significantly from the trends of yore, and this is especially apparent in dining tables. Ancient Egyptians made practical use of the earliest four-legged tables of wood and rock — their models bear striking similarity to the dining tables of today — while common large medieval dining room tables in England were made of oak or elm. Romans and Greeks, renowned for big banquets that involved entertainment as well as good food, used early dining room tables made of marble or wood and metals such as bronze for meals. 

On 1stDibs, find a range of dining room tables that offers no shortage of options to accommodate modest interiors, midsize family homes and even lavish banquets (entertainment not included).

Beginning in the mid-19th century, more American homes featured dining rooms, where families could gather specifically for a meal together. In the States, upper-class families were the first to enjoy dining room tables, which were the centerpiece of the dining room. 

Dining room tables of the Victorian era were created in a range of revivalist styles inspired by neoclassical, Renaissance, Gothic and other traditions. Furnishings of the period were made of various woods, including oak, rosewood and mahogany, and referenced a variety of decorative arts and architectural motifs. Some dining room tables finished in the Rococo style feature gorgeous inlaid marble tabletops or other ornamental flourishes handcrafted by Parisian furniture makers of the 18th century.

In many modern spaces, there often isn’t a dining room separate from the kitchen — instead, they frequently share real estate in a single area. Mid-century modern dining room tables, specifically those created by designers such as Osvaldo Borsani, Edward Wormley and Alvar Aalto, are typically clean and uncomplicated designs for a dining area that’s adjacent to where the cooking is done. Furniture of this era hasn’t lost its allure for those who opt for a casual and contemporary aesthetic.

If you’re of the modern mindset that making and sharing meals should be one in the same — and perhaps large antique dining tables don’t mesh well with your style — consider a popular alternative. Working with a tighter space may mean that a round or oval dining room table, a design that references the festive meals of the medieval era, may be a better fit. Round dining room tables, particularly those that originated in the Art Deco period, still endure as a popular contemporary substitute for traditional rectangular dining tables. Giovanni Offredi’s Paracarro table for Saporiti Italia is a striking round table option that showcases the magnificent Italian industrial design of the 1970s.

Find a collection of antique, new and vintage dining tables on 1stDibs.